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Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (U.S.) and MediaTek, Inc. (Taiwan) are the Major Players in the Wi-Fi Chipset Market

The Wi-Fi chipset market was valued at USD 15.89 Billion in 2016 and is expected to reach USD 19.72 Billion by 2022, at a CAGR of 3.5% between 2017 and 2022.

The upcoming IEEE 802.11ax and IEEE 802.11ay that would be launched in 2018 and 2019 respectively is expected to be the major revenue-generating segment for the Wi-Fi chipset vendors during the forecast period. Some of the major semiconductor players in the Wi-Fi chipset market in North America including Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Intel Corporation (U.S.), and Texas Instruments, Inc. (U.S.) are working with the IEEE for the standardization of 802.11ax. In 2016, Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (U.S.) introduced a prototype of 802.11ax that demonstrates 4x downlink (DL) user throughput improvement by supporting 4 user devices to upload data simultaneously. The strong R&D expenditure in upcoming IEEE standards over the 60 GHz band by blue-chip Wi-Fi chipset vendors is expected to accelerate the growth of the Wi-Fi chipset market during the forecast period.

The Wi-Fi chipset market is in its growth phase and has witnessed various developments in terms of new product launches, agreements, and collaboration. The market players are also focusing on entering into new markets by launching technologically advanced and innovative Wi-Fi chipset solutions in both the existing and emerging markets. Companies such as Quantenna Communications, Inc. (U.S.), Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), Marvell Technology Group Ltd. (Bermuda), MediaTek, Inc. (Taiwan) and Texas Instruments, Inc. (U.S.) have adopted new product launches, whereas Intel Corporation (U.S.) and STMicroelectronics N.V. (Switzerland) have adopted partnerships and collaborations as their main strategy.

Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. (U.S.), MediaTek, Inc. (Taiwan), Intel Corporation (U.S.), and Texas Instruments Inc. (U.S.) are the major players in the Wi-Fi chipset market. These vendors provides numerous chips, which are manufactured according to the latest IEEE standard. All such chipset products are used by many consumer devices manufacturers such as D-Link Corporation (Taiwan), Sony Corporation (Japan), Fujitsu Ltd. (Japan), and Toshiba Corporation (Japan). The company has launched various new products. For instance, in May 2016, the company introduced the new “QCA4012”, a Wi-Fi chipset in its Wi-Fi product portfolio. This chip has features such as dual-band support (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz Wi-Fi connection) and antenna support for extended range coverage. The company also adopted the acquisition strategy. For instance, in August 2015, the company acquired Ikanos Communications, Inc. (U.S.), a provider of semiconductor and software products for home use. This acquisition would expand the hold of Qualcomm Technologies, Inc. in the carrier Wi-Fi and wired connectivity segment.

A wide product portfolio has helped MediaTek Inc. (Taiwan) to be one of the leading players in the Wi-Fi chipset market. The company’s product portfolio offers various Wi-Fi chipset products with the latest IEEE standards. MediaTek, Inc. collaborated with many companies to enhance its expertise in this market. For instance, in February 2016, MediaTek, Inc. and Ericsson AB (Sweden) collaborated for Wi-Fi calling interoperability testing to expand the device ecosystem. This collaboration would bring the advantages of Wi-Fi calling to a considerably larger base of devices and end users, thereby helping MediaTek, Inc. to strengthen their business. Moreover, the MediaTek, Inc. launches products to stay ahead in the competition.